1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connector housing.
2. Background Art
Electrical circuits often include an electrical connector in the form of a fuse, which is designed to break the circuit upon the occurrence of a specified event—e.g., too much current flowing through the circuit. Some fuses, especially those used in high-power applications, utilize bolt-on connections which require utilization of torque guns or other tools to apply the appropriate torque to the bolts during installation of the fuse. In addition to adding complexity to the production, and potentially increasing costs, bolt-on fuse connections may fail if an improper torque has been applied during installation. This may be particularly true in rigorous automotive environments.
Although bolt-on connections have inherent limitations, they continue to be used in high-power applications, at least in part, because of the high temperatures associated with high current flow. Copper, which is a good electrical conductor, has a tendency to relax at high temperatures. This means that male and female slide terminals made from copper may not retain the necessary electrical contact with each other when used in a high-power application. Specifically, the clamping portion of a fuse body—e.g., the spring-type feature of the female terminals—which would otherwise maintain a tight connection with the male terminal blades, relaxes, thereby decreasing the overall contact area; this in turn reduces electrical conductivity and increases electrical resistance.
Other types of fuse solutions include fusible links, which may be prone to heat damage in an automotive environment, and can also have a high cost of service. In addition, using a fuse which includes its own insulating cover adds cost to the fuse because of the extra material and the increased complexity in production. Therefore, it would be desirable to have an electrical connector housing, such as a fuse holder, which eliminated the need for bolt-on fuse connections, even in high-power applications, and also facilitated the use of fuses devoid of insulating material.